Why Fire Doors Are Essential For HMO Fire Safety

Ensuring fire safety in a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) is extremely important. With multiple people living in close proximity and often sharing kitchens, corridors, stairwells, and communal areas, landlords and managing agents need to make sure suitable fire safety measures are in place.

One crucial element that’s often overlooked is the role of HMO fire doors. These specially designed doors aren’t the same as ordinary internal doors. They’re built to help resist fire and smoke which protects escape routes and gives occupants more time to evacuate safely.

In this blog, we’ll explore why fire doors are essential for HMO fire safety, as well as look at the importance of complying with HMO fire door regulations, how to select the right fire door, and where in the property they’re needed, so you have a better understanding of the role they play in safeguarding tenants against fire.

What is the role of fire doors in HMO fire safety?

HMOs have a higher risk of fire occurring because multiple people live within one property and share key spaces. Common household items such as cooking appliances, electrical equipment, heating systems, chargers, furnishings, and stored belongings can all increase fire risk if not properly managed.

This is why a comprehensive fire risk assessment is crucial for every HMO. A fire risk assessment can identify fire hazards, review escape routes, assess who may be at risk, and recommend suitable fire safety measures to reduce those risks.

In many HMOs, those fire safety measures will include installing and maintaining suitable fire doors. Fire doors in HMO properties play a crucial role in slowing the spread of fire and smoke because they help to protect communal corridors, stairwells, and other escape routes.

A fire door for an HMO is designed differently from a normal internal door. It will usually include fire-resistant materials, a suitable door core, intumescent strips, smoke seals, fire-rated hinges, and compatible hardware. These elements work together as part of the full fire door assembly.

Fire doors have an FD rating, which indicates how long they’re designed to resist fire. For example, FD30 means the door provides 30 minutes of fire resistance, while FD60 provides 60 minutes. The right rating will depend on your property layout, risk level, local authority requirements, and the findings of your fire risk assessment.

By ensuring HMO fire doors are correctly specified, installed, and maintained, landlords can significantly improve fire safety within their property and help to protect both tenants and the building.

What are the current HMO fire door regulations?

In England and Wales, HMOs are subject to a range of housing and fire safety responsibilities. For example, HMO licensing in Wales is covered under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, and landlords will also need to consider wider housing legislation and local authority licensing requirements. As well as this, some fire safety duties will also apply under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for HMO properties across both England and Wales where relevant.

The ‘Responsible Person’, usually the landlord, property owner, or managing agent, is responsible for ensuring that suitable fire safety measures are in place and properly maintained. In an HMO, this will include ensuring that appropriate fire doors are installed, inspected, maintained, and repaired where required.

HMO regulations for fire doors aren’t only about whether a fire door has been fitted. Landlords and managing agents also need to consider whether each fire door is suitable for its location, whether it has the correct fire resistance rating, whether it closes properly, and whether seals, hinges, frames, glazing, and hardware are in good condition.

Your local authority licensing conditions and the findings of your fire risk assessment will influence what fire doors are required in your HMO. Requirements can vary depending on the number of occupants, number of storeys, layout of the building, escape route design, and the level of fire risk present.

For multi-occupied residential buildings in Wales, the Fire Safety Act 2021 is also relevant. It clarifies that fire risk assessments should include the structure, external walls, and flat entrance doors between domestic premises and common parts. This makes fire door management especially important for landlords, housing providers, and managing agents responsible for shared residential buildings.

It’s essential for landlords to stay informed about HMO fire door regulations and ensure their properties are equipped with suitable fire safety measures. Failing to comply can put tenants at risk and may lead to enforcement action, fines, prosecution, and reputational damage.

Where are fire doors needed in an HMO?

The exact location of where fire doors are needed in your HMO will depend on your specific property layout, number of storeys, escape routes, fire risk assessment, and any local authority requirements. Because every HMO is different, landlords shouldn’t rely on a generic checklist alone.

In many HMO properties, fire doors may be required to protect escape routes and separate higher-risk areas from communal circulation spaces. This can include:

• Bedroom doors opening onto communal escape routes
• Kitchens and cooking areas
• Communal corridors and stairwells
• Doors between higher-risk rooms and escape routes
• Flat entrance doors or unit entrance doors in certain converted buildings
• Cupboards, service rooms, or storage areas where there may be increased fire risk

The purpose of fire doors in HMO properties is to slow the spread of fire and smoke as they help to keep escape routes usable for longer. This is particularly important in shared accommodation where occupants may be asleep, unfamiliar with fire procedures, or using different parts of the building at different times.

A professional fire door survey or fire risk assessment can help confirm which doors need to be fire doors and whether the existing doors are suitable.

How to select the right fire door for an HMO

Choosing the right fire door for an HMO is about more than selecting a door with an FD rating. The full door assembly needs to be suitable for the building and installed correctly.

A suitable HMO fire door will need:

• The appropriate fire resistance rating, such as FD30 or FD60, for the property and risk
• A correctly fitted frame
• Intumescent strips and smoke seals
• Fire-rated hinges and compatible hardware
• A working self-closing device where required
• Suitable door gaps
• Correct signage
• Fire-rated glazing where applicable
• Evidence of certification or suitability where available
• Professional installation and ongoing maintenance

A certified fire door can still fail to perform as intended if it’s fitted with unsuitable hardware, installed with excessive gaps, poorly aligned, or damaged after installation. This is why landlords should consider the full door assembly, not just the door leaf.

At AFP Wales, we can support landlords and managing agents with fire door surveys, installation, maintenance, repairs, and replacement to help identify whether existing HMO fire doors are suitable or whether remedial work is required.

HMO fire door installation and maintenance best practices

Having high-quality fire doors that meet the right standards is only one part of HMO fire safety. Correct installation and ongoing maintenance are just as important. If HMO fire doors aren’t installed correctly, they may not provide the level of protection expected during a fire.

Installing fire doors requires specialist knowledge and should be carried out by a qualified, competent professional or fire door company. At AFP Wales, we’re FIRAS certified and support landlords and managing agents with compliant fire door installation, maintenance, repairs, and replacement.

Correct installation includes careful measuring, fitting, and adjustment of the door leaf, frame, seals, hinges, door closer, and other essential components. If smoke seals, intumescent strips, or self-closing devices are installed incorrectly, the fire door may not work effectively.

Maintaining HMO fire doors is also vital. These doors are used regularly by multiple occupants, which means wear, damage, and misuse can develop quickly. Even small defects can reduce the effectiveness of the door in a fire.

Common issues landlords should look out for include:

• Fire doors being wedged or propped open
• Self-closing devices being removed, disconnected, or damaged
• Doors not closing fully into the frame
• Damaged or missing smoke seals
• Excessive gaps around the door
• Loose hinges or damaged frames
• Incorrect replacement handles, locks, or hardware
• Damage caused by daily use or tenant alterations
• Missing “Fire Door Keep Shut” signage
• Poor-quality repairs after damage

Regular checks help landlords identify these issues early and take action before a fire door fails an inspection or compromises an escape route.

When it comes to planning a practical maintenance routine, it should include:

• Monthly visual checks of doors, frames, gaps, and closing action
• Checks to ensure door closers are working correctly
• Six-monthly checks of intumescent seals, smoke seals, hinges, and hardware
• A full annual inspection by a competent fire door specialist
• Prompt repair or replacement where defects are found
• Clear records of inspections, defects, and remedial works

Ultimately, when it comes to installing and maintaining fire doors in an HMO, it’s strongly recommended to consult a professional fire safety company. Here at AFP Wales, we can help landlords understand what’s required, identify defects, and take practical steps to protect tenants and maintain compliance.

Speak to us for your HMO fire doors

It’s clear to see that fire doors play a significant role in HMO fire safety. They help protect tenants, support safe evacuation, and slow the spread of fire and smoke through shared residential buildings.

At AFP Wales, we support landlords, managing agents, and property owners with professional HMO fire door services, including fire door surveys, installation, maintenance, repairs, and replacement. Whether you need to check existing fire doors in an HMO, replace damaged doors, or arrange a full survey across a property portfolio, our team can provide clear recommendations and practical support.

As well as supplying high-quality fire doors, we provide a wide range of other specialist fire safety services to help you understand your responsibilities and take the correct next steps.

Thanks to the backing of the LS Fire Group, we operate throughout the UK with the help of our partner brands, as well as across our local areas of Cardiff, Pontypridd, and Newport. This means we can support landlords and managing agents with HMO fire door requirements across Wales and beyond.

If you’d like further expert advice on HMO fire safety or need support with fire doors in an HMO property, don’t hesitate to contact us today.